Liquid fuel burner

ABSTRACT

A burner for liquid fuel in which a porous ceramic block is wetted with fuel and the fuel travels to an upper surface thereof by capillary action. Air is pumped through openings in the porous ceramic block to also reach the upper surface with the fuel burning from the upper ceramic surface. In a modified form the fuel burns from a side face of the ceramic block.

United States Patent Laguinia 1 811. 211, 1972 [54] LIQUID FUEL BURNER 404,098 5/1889 Mahan ..431/328 [72] Inventor: Enrique L. Laguinia, No. 6 Bulletin St., 82l165 5/1906 Hollenbach et ""431/328 west Triangle Diliman Quezon City 2,227,899 1/1941 Grubb ..43l/328 2,174,818 10/1939 Brace ..431/328 X lllppines [22] Filed: Nov. 13, 1969 Primary Examiner-Frederick L. Matteson Assistant Examiner-Harry B. Ramey Attorney-Victor J. Evans and Co.

[52] [1.8. CI ..43l/328 [57] ABSTRACT 5 32 A burner for liquid fuel in which a porous ceramic block is 1 wetted with fuel and the fuel travels to an upper surface thereof by capillary action. Air is pumped through openings in the porous ceramic block to also reach the upper surface with [56] References cued the fuel burning from the upper ceramic surface. In a modified UNITED STATES PATENTS form the fuel burns from a side face of the ceramic block.

158,931 1/1875 Gearing ..43 l/300 1 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Z6 Z6 Z7 24 /0 Z Z/ 4 20 5 I I I I I i" f -F I /3 l 9 ,11

x,// I /7 1 /5 2. 1 i 14 I l l l 22 I9 I l l 1 /Z 1 Patented March 21, 1-972 2 Sheets-Sheet l wayawa.

LroUiU FUEL BURNER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to burners for liquid fuel of the type wherein the fuel burns off of the surface and is not force fed to the fire.

Summary of the Invention The present invention includes a porous ceramic block which is wetted with fuel adjacent its lower portion with the fuel moving by capillary attraction to an upper surface where it is ignited and burns. Air passages through the porous ceramic block permit a flow of forced air to reach the upper surface to provide the necessary oxygen for combustion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the invention shown partially broken away and in section for convenience of illustration.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the invention shown partially broken away and in section for convenience of illustration.

. F IG.- 3 is a semidiagrammatic illustration of the modified form of fuel tank system. A

FIG. 4 is a top plan view shown partially broken away and in section of a modified form of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of still another modified form of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another modified form of the invention shown partially broken away and in sections for convenience of illustration.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT I Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures the reference numeral 10 indicates generally a liquid fuel burner constructed in accordance with the invention.

The liquid fuel burner 10 includes a generally cylindrical fuel tank 11 having a bottom wall 12 a top wall 13 and a side wall 14. A filler cap 15 is provided in the side wall 14 to fill the fuel tank 11 with liquid fuel. The top wall 13 has central circular opening 16 delineated by a depending flange 17 as can be clearly seen in FIG. 2. A generally cylindrical burner shell 18 is provided with a bottom wall 19 and is positioned within the fuel tank 11 and sealed to the flange 17. An annular air chamber 20 is integrally formed on the burner shell 18 above the fuel tank 11 and has a cylindrical open top flange 21 formed on the upper side thereof in alignment with the burner shell 18. A port 22 is formed in the burner shell 18 and communicates the interior the burner shell 18 with the interior the fuel tank 11 to permit the flow of fuel from the fuel tank 11 into the burner shell 18.

A porous cylindrical ceramic block 23 is positioned in the burner shell 18 and extends upwardly therein to a point just below the upper edge 24 of the flange 21. The porous ceramic block 23 has a plurality of bores 25 extending horizontally therethrough in longitudinally and transversely extending directions as can be seen in FIG. 1. The bores 25 are arranged so that their open ends communicate with the air chamber 20 of the burner shell 18. A plurality of vertical bores 26 are formed in the upper end of the porous ceramic block 23 and these intersect with the bores 25 at their lower ends to permit a flow of air from the air chamber 20, passing through the bores 25 to pass upwardly through the bores 26 to the upper surface 27 of the ceramic block 23. An air conduit 28 is connected to the air chamber 20 and is provided with a control valve 29 by means of which the flow of air can be controlled to the burner 10.

The ceramic block 23 is porous and the liquid fuel flowing to the ceramic block 23 through the port 22 will move upwardly through the block 23 by capillary action so as to reach the upper surface 27 of the block 23. With a flow of air established through the air conduit 28 the fuel at the surface 27 is ignited and the burner is in operation. In the operation of the burner 11) the flame therefrom is virtually soot free as almost complete combustion takes place in the operation of the burner.

In FIG. 3 a modified form of the invention is illustrated wherein the burner shell 18 is mounted remote from the fuel tank 11' and is connected thereto by a valve conduit 22, the air chamber 21), upper flange 21, and fuel conduit 28, as well as the ceramic block (not shown) contained in the burner shell 18, are all identica to the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The fuel tank 11 has a fill cap 15 and is provided with'an air pump P to provide pressure on the fuel in the tank 11 so that it can be force fed to the burner shell 18'. The operation of the burner of FIG. 3 is identical to that of the preferred form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In FIG. 4 a rectangular burner 30 is illustrated having a rectangular ceramic block 31 surrounded by a generally rectangular air chamber 32. The ceramic block 31 has a plurality of transverse bores 33 which open into the air chamber 32. A plurality of vertical bores 34 open through the top of the ceramic block 31 and have their lower ends intersecting the bores 33 to permit the passage of air from the air chamber 32 upwardly through the top 35 of the block 31. Fuel is fed to the ceramic block in the same manner as it is fed to the ceramic block 23 in the preferred form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.. g

In FIG. 5 another modified form of burner is indicated generally at 40. The burner 41) includes a generally cylindrical burner shell 41 having a bottom wall 42 and a top wall 43 forming a part thereof. The bottom wall 42 has a generally symmetrical upstanding collar 44 formed thereon and extend ing upwardly approximately half the height of the burner shell 41. The collar 44 is internally threaded at 45 and has a plate 46 threaded therein. An air supply conduit 47 is threaded into the center of the plate 46 and is provided with an air control valve 48. A fuel line 49 is threaded into the bottom wall 42 to communicate with the interior of the burner shell 41 and is provided with a control valve 50.

The top wall 43 is provided with a circular opening 51 surrounded by an upstanding annular flange 52. A porous ceramic block 53 is positioned in the burner shell 41 and has a depending annular extension 54 which projects downwardly between the collar 44 and the outer wall of the burner shell 41. The central portion of the block 53 overlies the collar 44 and delineates an air chamber 55 surrounded by the collar 44 above the plate 46. A plurality of vertical bores 56 open upwardly through the block 53 with their lower ends communicating with the air chamber 55 and their upper ends passing through the upper surface 57 of the block 53 within the confines of the annular flange 52.

Liquid fuel flowing into the burner shell 41 through the fuel conduit 49 wets the lower portion 54 of the block 53 and the fuel passes upwardly through the block 53 by capillary action to the upper surface 57 thereof. With air flowing through the bores 56 from the air chamber 55 the fuel is ignited at the surface 57 and burns upwardly therefrom with an extremely clean flame in the same manner as the flame burns from the surface 27 of the preferred form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In FIG. 6 a still further modified form of burner is indicated generally at 60. The burner 61) includes a generally rectangular shell 61 having a bottom wall 62 and a removable top wall 63 forming a part thereof. The rectangular shell 61 has an offset air chamber 64 formed on one side of the upper portion thereof with an open side 65 positioned in opposed relation thereto. A valved fuel supply conduit 66 extends to the lower portion of the shell 61. A valved air supply conduit 67 extends to the air chamber 64.

A generally rectangular ceramic block 68 is positioned in the shell 61 and extends from the bottom wall 62 to the top wall 63. A plurality of horizontal bores 69 open through the top portion of the block 68 extending from the air chamber 64 to the open side 65 ofthe shell 61.

The ceramic block 68 is wetted with liquid fuel in the same manner as the other forms of the invention and air flowing through the bores 69 creates a horizontal blast of air and fuel which when ignited burns with a clean flame.

Having thus described the preferred embodiments of the invention, it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

l claim:

1. A liquid fuel burner comprising an open top burner shell, a porous ceramic block mounted in said shell, first means for feeding liquid fuel to the bottom of said shell to wet the lower portion of said ceramic block therewith, said ceramic block being porous to move the fuel from the lower portion thereof to its upper surface by capillary action, and second means extending outward along the circumference of said shell near the top thereof for circulating air around the circumference of said block, said block having a plurality of transverse passageways having their axes lying in a single plane coinciding with the a substantially horizontal plane passing through of said second means and in fluid communication therewith and second passageways whose axes extend from the top of said first mentioned passageways to the top surface of said block above said second means for producing combustion at the top surface of said block. 

1. A liquid fuel burner comprising an open top burner shell, a porous ceramic block mounted in said shell, first means for feeding liquid fuel to the bottom of said shell to wet the lower portion of said ceramic block therewith, said ceramic block being porous to move the fuel from the lower portion thereof to its upper surface by capillary action, and second means extending outward along the circumference of said shell near the top thereof for circulating air around the circumference of said block, said block having a plurality of transverse passageways having their axes lying in a single plane coinciding with the a substantially horizontal plane passing through of said second means and in fluid communication therewith and second passageways whose axes extend from the top of said first mentioned passageways to the top surface of said block above said second means for producing combustion at the top surface of said block. 